Marvel Permanently Retires Ultimate Wolverine with Perfect Last Line

Marvel is permanently retiring an iconic hero, and they just said goodbye with the perfect final line. It’s not often that superhero universes meaningfully retire a character, but this time it’s for real, allowing Marvel to deliver a fitting ending for a hero who’s more than earned it.

Marvel Officially Retires Ultimate Wolverine

In yesterday’s Ultimate Wolverine #16 – from Chris Condon, Alessandro Cappuccio, Bryan Valenza and Travis Lanham – the title finally came to an end, wrapping the story of Logan stalking Russia, killing off his tormentors in the Rasputin family.

Having slain Colossus and Omega Red, Wolverine and Phoenix have been hunting Magik – the last of the trio who brainwashed Wolverine into a living weapon known as the Winter Soldier.

Wolverine follows Magik into the hellish realm of Limbo, striking her down at the heart of her power. However, he’s almost trapped in the fiery dimension as a result, only saved because Jean Grey flies to his rescue.

As the two reflect on their survival, Jean tells Logan to take a moment and enjoy the victory, with the gruff hero responding, “Victory, huh? How’s that supposed to feel?” The final image of Ultimate Wolverine is Jean and Logan flying off, as Jean replies, “Something like this.”

In a dark world, it’s the closest to a happy ending that Wolverine could ever get – his enemies slain, a country free and a moment of quiet with his remaining friend and ally.

Yes, Ultimate Wolverine Fans Get an Encore

While Ultimate Wolverine #16 concludes the series and resolves the arc that began in the first issue, Logan technically isn’t done yet. He’ll still appear in Ultimate Endgame #4 and #5, as one of an army of heroes taking on the Maker.

However, Marvel has confirmed again and again that, after Endgame, the Ultimate Universe is finished, with no plans to ever bring it back. The Ultimate Universe is a setting Marvel uses to try out radical new ideas, and in this case, that includes ending its stories.

However, whatever happens against the Maker, Wolverine has freed Russia from the villainous Rasputin family, albeit paying a high price to do it.

Ultimate Wolverine Went Darker Than Marvel’s Mainstream Ever Could

Ultimate Wolverine #16 may be a victory for Logan, but it’s a dark one. Before he kills Magik, she confronts him with the terrible events that shaped her childhood, turning her into the demonic ruler of Limbo. However, despite being confronted by Magik’s younger self, Logan refuses to let her get away with her horrific acts as the ruler of the Eurasian Republic.

Those acts include killing off pretty much every iconic X-Men hero, and turning the rest into living weapons. Cyclops, Beast, Angel, Nightcrawler, Kitty Pryde, Gambit, Xavier and more all bit the dust during this series, with many horrifically transformed by the villainous Directorate X – like Cyclops having his head installed into a Sentinel’s chest.

The Ultimate Universe allows Marvel to operate outside the restrictions of mainstream continuity, and in this case, that allowed the creative team to tell a dark, brutal story that didn’t hold back on X-Men‘s biggest icons. That’s what makes it all the more surprising that Logan actually gets a happy ending.

Will Ultimate Wolverine Stand the Test of Time?

One of Marvel’s stated reasons for ending the Ultimate Universe is the desire to give it longevity. The line has been incredibly well received, and by concluding with Ultimate Endgame, it goes out on a high, concluding an epic saga made up of solid series, each with its own sense of momentum and clearly defined arc.

Fans of Ultimate Wolverine now know it’s the story of Logan hunting down three villains and sacrificing everything to free a country. While fans might want more, this ending will likely give Ultimate Wolverine a significant legacy – a vicious, satisfying, complete Wolverine epic perfect for new fans.

That’s an impressive achievement for a sixteen-issue series, but don’t be surprised to see Ultimate Wolverine still named as one of the best Wolverine stories long into the future.

Ultimate Wolverine #16 is available now from Marvel Comics.

Created By

Roy Thomas, Len Wein, John Romita Sr.

First Appearance

The Incredible Hulk (2023)

Alias

James “Logan” Howlett

Alliance

X-Men, Avengers, Canadian Army, OSS/CIA, Avengers Unity Squad, Alpha Flight, New Avengers, New Fantastic Four, Savage Avengers, Weapon X, X-Force

Race

Human-Mutant